Student Business Aims to Protect Eyes and Quench Thirst

What started as an 11-year-old’s attempt to sell Pokemon cards on eBay has turned into a small business for one student at Cedarville University. And the result could be clean water for people in developing countries.

Before he even had a bank account, Ryan Cvammen, a senior from Silver Lake, Ohio, started selling trading cards online for upwards of $200. “From that moment on, I fell in love with the idea of business,” he said.

The idea for his business, Glasi Company, came about one day when he was sitting in a coffee shop looking at his laptop. He thought about selling a product that would protect eyes from blue light, an artificial light emitted by digital screens, electronic devices and LED and fluorescent lighting that causes eye strain and headaches and can make sleeping difficult.

According to BlueTech, which manufactures and sells blue light eyeglasses, millions of Americans expose their eyes to artificial blue light every day through their digital screens. The data shows that 74% of teens between the ages of 12 to 17 use electronic devices.

— Ryan Cvammen

Cvammen’s mind started percolating: he could create a website and an Instagram account to sell these glasses while helping others through the profits.

“Essentially the goal is to donate enough to make a difference to drill wells in other countries,” Cvammen said. “What sets me apart is the purpose behind the company, not the product. You can buy glasses from Amazon, but then the money goes straight to Amazon.”

Glasi Company’s tagline is “Glasses for Glasses,” which originates from the idea of selling eyeglasses and earning money to fill up water glasses in other countries.

Cvammen is working with Mac McCauley, a missionary from Grace Baptist Church in Cedarville, Ohio, who is serving in Zambia, Africa. A portion of the purchase of a pair of glasses will be given to support these missionaries who will in turn use it for ministries in Zambia.

Cvammen’s first sale through Glasi Company was in November 2019. He has raised about $300.

“Learning how to incorporate accounting, business and finance elements into this business has been super rewarding because I’ve been able to put into play what I’ve learned in the classroom,” he said.

Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,380 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including the Bachelor of Arts in Marketing program, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and high student engagement ranking. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.